According to a report in *The Washington Post*, Iranian officials, in a private phone call, expressed surprise at the limited damage caused by U.S. military strikes on their nuclear facilities, contradicting the Trump administration’s claims of complete destruction. This revelation undermines the administration’s narrative, as confirmed in a statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who labeled the reporting “shameful.” The strikes targeted facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, though the extent of the damage is still debated. Concurrently, Donald Trump threatened to jail Democratic lawmakers and force journalists to reveal their sources if they published leaked intelligence about the strikes.
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President Trump reacted strongly to reports that his strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were less effective than he claimed, attacking the media outlets that published the leaked information. Despite initially dismissing the reports as “fake news,” he conceded the intelligence community’s findings might be accurate. Trump maintained the strikes caused “total obliteration” and set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back significantly while the Defense Secretary stated the FBI is investigating the leaked information. Iran responded to the strikes by launching a missile attack on an American base in Qatar, after which Trump declared a ceasefire between the two countries, which was later restored.
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Following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, both sides issued conflicting statements, with Iran claiming Israel was forced to accept defeat, while Israel stated it had achieved all objectives, including neutralizing nuclear threats. Despite the ceasefire, the IDF reported intercepting missiles fired from Iran, and an Iranian missile strike on Be’er Sheva resulted in multiple casualties. International figures, including the German Chancellor and former U.S. President Trump, welcomed the ceasefire, urging both parties to adhere to it. Meanwhile, there were reports of damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, which Iran is now working to restore.
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Following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the IAEA reported no detectable increases in regional radiation levels. These assurances followed statements from the countries’ respective agencies confirming normal radiation readings. The Gulf Cooperation Council also reported stable environmental indicators, while pledging continued monitoring. Despite the scale of the attack using bunker-buster bombs, no radioactive fallout was detected.
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Pope Leo XIV condemned President Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, stating that war is not a solution and urging international cooperation for peace. He emphasized the moral responsibility of all nations to prevent further conflict, highlighting the universal impact of violence on human dignity. This criticism follows previous condemnations of Trump and Vice President Vance’s immigration policies and Trump’s attacks on the press. The conflict marks the first major global crisis since Leo’s papacy began, continuing his pattern of advocating for diplomacy over military action.
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John Q. Hosedrinker